Musical Offerings

Volume 11 Article 2
Number 2 Fall 2020

9-30-2020

Gesualdo's Late Madrigal Style: Renaissance or Baroque?

Landon K. Cina
Cedarville University, landonkcina@cedarville.edu

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Recommended Citation
Cina, Landon K. (2020) "Gesualdo's Late Madrigal Style: Renaissance or Baroque?," Musical Offerings: Vol.
11 : No. 2 , Article 2.
DOI: 10.15385/jmo.2020.11.2.2
Available at: https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/musicalofferings/vol11/iss2/2
Gesualdo's Late Madrigal Style: Renaissance or Baroque?

Document Type
Article

Abstract
Carlo Gesualdo Prince of Venosa’s sixth and final book of Italian madrigals has puzzled scholars since its
resurgence in the early twentieth century. Written during a transition between the Renaissance and
Baroque periods, Gesualdo’s late madrigals present a musical style that seems to deny any attempt at
precise classification with a stylistic movement. So where does Gesualdo’s astonishing style fit within its
historical context? And what about his music has drawn the attention of so many scholars? By analyzing
representative madrigals of the Mannerist style, a stylistic movement of the Late Renaissance, and the
emerging Baroque style, one can understand the general attributes of the musical context in which
Gesualdo lived. After identifying the defining characteristics of Gesualdo’s late madrigals, a comparison
of Gesualdo’s style and the styles of other madrigalists of his time reveals both the conventional and
radical elements of his music. Through this method, one finds that Gesualdo’s compositional style is
derivative of the Mannerist movement but pushes the limits of this movement to new extremes, creating a
style that would not be heard again for nearly three centuries.

Keywords
Gesualdo, Madrigal, Italian Madrigal, Renaissance, Baroque, Mannerism, Mannerist Style

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This article is available in Musical Offerings: https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/musicalofferings/vol11/iss2/2

Musical Offerings ⦁ 2020 ⦁ Volume 11 ⦁ Number 2 59

Gesualdo’s Late Madrigal Style:

Renaissance or Baroque?

Landon K. Cina
Cedarville University

C
arlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa is now known to be one of the
most brilliant composers of the late Renaissance. His music
underwent a resurgence in the twentieth century and was highly
revered by modernist composers such as Igor Stravinsky. Gesualdo’s
music came to light as his shockingly advanced style was compared to
the music of Richard Wagner and Arnold Schoenberg.1 The sixth and
final book of Gesualdo’s five-voice madrigals has drawn the most
attention from scholars, as it represents his most progressive and daring
compositional style. What sets Gesualdo’s late style apart from the other
madrigal composers of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth
centuries? By studying the historical context and stylistic movements of
this period, it is apparent that Gesualdo’s sixth book of madrigals pushed
the limits of the Renaissance style to the extreme as the new Baroque
style came into prominence.

Gesualdo’s stylistic development can be traced throughout the events of

his life. Around the year 1560, Carlo Gesualdo was born into one of the
oldest and most prominent families in Naples, Italy. Carlo’s father,
Fabrizio Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa, had two sons, and as Carlo was the
youngest, his brother Luigi was heir to the family title and estate. While
growing up in his father’s house, Carlo was immersed in a rich musical
culture where he learned to compose and became an avid archlute player.
He enjoyed a musician’s paradise during the first part of his life,
dedicating all of his time and energy to music.2

1
Glenn Watkins, The Gesualdo Hex: Music, Myth, and Memory (New York:
W. W. Norton, 2010), 99.
2
Cecil Gray and Philip Heseltine, Carlo Gesualdo Prince of Venosa: Musician
and Murderer (Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1975), 7–8.

Musical Offerings 11, no. 2 (2020): 59–69

ISSN 2330-8206 (print); ISSN 2167-3799 (online)
© 2020, Landon K. Cina, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
60 Cina ⦁ Gesualdo
Tragically, his unalloyed dedication to music was interrupted in 1585
when his elder brother died, leaving Carlo as heir with the duty to
produce descendants in order to maintain the Gesualdo family line. The
following year, he married Donna Maria d’Avalos, who bore their son,
Don Emmanuele. On October 16, 1590, the marriage came to an
unfortunate end, as Gesualdo performed the deed for which he would be
long remembered.3 Donna Maria had become entangled in a passionate
affair with Fabrizio Carafa, Duke of Andria. When rumors of his wife’s
unfaithfulness came to his attention, Gesualdo entered by night into his
wife’s chamber and murdered and mutilated the lovers’ bodies.4 It is
possible that this intensely emotional and traumatic event influenced
Gesualdo’s eccentric and highly expressive musical style.

Carlo Gesualdo remained at the Gesualdo estate for some time and
assumed the title “Prince of Venosa” when his father passed away in
1591. After the death of his wife, Gesualdo resumed his obsession with
music, entering one of the most creative periods of his life. In 1594, he
married his second wife, Donna Eleonora d’Este, and moved to the city
of Ferrara at the court of Duke Alfonso II d’Este where he interacted
with well-known madrigalists like Luzzasco Luzzaschi. During the
Duke’s reign, Ferrara became the most important cultural city in Italy,
but its splendor quickly waned after the death of Duke Alfonso II in
1597, and the artists of the city slowly dispersed, beginning the end of
the Italian Renaissance.5

The Prince of Venosa soon returned to his home in Naples or at the

family estate, where it is likely he spent the rest of his unhappy life.6
Carlo Gesualdo devoted the rest of his years to his musical pursuits,
producing some of his most beloved works, including his Responsoria
for Holy Week and the fifth and sixth books of madrigals. Before Carlo’s
death on September 8, 1613, his heir, Don Emmanuele, passed away. As
there were no heirs to the Gesualdo name, the estate was dispersed, and
the dynasty came to an end.7

To this day, the life of Carlo Gesualdo has generated more interest
among scholars than his music. However, through his years of scandal,

3
Gray and Heseltine, Carlo Gesualdo, 10–12.
4
Ibid., 13–32.
5
Ibid., 43–48.
6
Glenn Watkins, Gesualdo: The Man and His Music (Chapel Hill, NC:
University of North Carolina Press, 1973), 79–80.
7
Ibid., 81–83.
Musical Offerings ⦁ 2020 ⦁ Volume 11 ⦁ Number 2 61
murder, and torturous guilt, the Prince of Venosa managed to become
one of the most accomplished composers of his time. Today, Gesualdo
is primarily known for his Italian madrigals. He composed a total of six
books of madrigals for five voices, and each chronological pair can be
connected to a separate period of his life. The first two books were
published in 1594 and are representative of his style before his stay in
Ferrara.8 Books Three and Four, published in 1595 and 1596, can be
characterized by their Ferrarese influences.9 The final and most notable
books of Gesualdo’s five voice madrigals were not published until 1611,
fifteen years after the fourth book. On the dedication pages of both
books, Pietro Cappuccio, Gesualdo’s editor, provides an explanation for
the delay between publications. He claims that the music contained in
the fifth and sixth books was written as early as 1596 and had been kept
solely for the Prince’s own enjoyment. However, the publication became
necessary after several of the pieces were falsely presented as the work
of other composers.10

Although Cappuccio does offer a possible reason for the delayed

publication of the last two books, Glenn Watkins makes several
arguments that give reason to doubt the claim. Cappuccio’s assertion that
Gesualdo desired to keep the music to himself is dubious, for he printed
two volumes of sacred motets in 1603. In addition, it is unlikely that
Gesualdo composed all forty-four madrigals within a few months after
the publication of his fourth book. Although the dates of the madrigals
contained in these last two books are unknown, it can be assumed that
they were probably written throughout the period from 1596 to 1611.
Despite the disagreements about the dates of composition, it is quite
plausible that the fraudulent reproduction of Gesualdo’s madrigals was
the primary catalyst for publication.11

Gesualdo’s sixth book of madrigals was written during a time of

transition between two major periods in musical development. During
the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century, the Renaissance
period was coming to an end, while the first elements of Baroque music
began to appear in new compositions. However, many scholars have
identified a smaller stylistic movement, known as Mannerism, which

8
Alfred Einstein, The Italian Madrigal, trans. Alexander H. Krappe, Roger H.
Sessions, and Oliver Strunk (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1971),
695.
9
Ibid., 698–706.
10
Watkins, Gesualdo, 165–166.
11
Ibid., 166–167.
62 Cina ⦁ Gesualdo
existed within and between the Renaissance and Baroque periods.12 By
studying the styles of Mannerist composers like Luca Marenzio and
Luzzasco Luzzaschi and the new Baroque style of Claudio Monteverdi,
one can determine which characteristics of Gesualdo’s style distinguish
him from other composers of his time.

Beginning around the year 1530, a new style began to develop in Italy
that later became known as Mannerism. This movement is not classified
as a major stylistic period because it was altogether rather small. First,
Mannerist influence was mostly confined to regions in northern Italy, so
the style was far from being a universal trend.13 Second, Mannerist music
was almost exclusively reserved for the aristocratic court. When
describing this elite style, Tim Carter writes that Mannerist art is “where
form is more important than content, and where the appeal of the art-
work lies primarily in the appreciation of how it effortlessly overcomes
self-imposed technical difficulties.”14 In other words, Mannerist music
pushes the limitations of performers, composers, and listeners to the
extremes, making it an art entirely for the learned individual. Because
Mannerism functioned by expanding the conventions set in place by the
music of the Renaissance, it can be identified as a sort of subcategory of
the Renaissance period.15

One of the most prominent and representative Mannerist composers was

Luca Marenzio. The madrigal “Solo e pensoso” from Marenzio’s Ninth
Book of Madrigals16 contains several idioms of the Mannerist style. The
first twenty-four measures exemplify one of the most important
characteristics of Mannerism, chromaticism. From the beginning the
canto voice ascends from an F4 to a G5 by one semitone per measure
and then descends by half-step down to C5. In addition to the melodic
chromaticism in one voice, the harmonic movement freely shifts from
one key area to the next using chromatic third relationships. Immediately
at m. 1, the F major triad shifts directly into a D major triad in m. 2
(Example 1). There are other chromatic mediant relationships throughout
the first twenty-four measures such as the movement from E-flat major

12
Tim Carter, Music in Late Renaissance and Early Baroque Italy (London:
B. T. Batsford, 1992), 15.
13
Ibid., 18.
14
Ibid., 15.
15
Ibid., 18.
16
Luca Marenzio, The Complete Five Voice Madrigals: For Mixed Voices, ed.
John Steele, trans. Kathryn Bosi and Elisabeth Lee Giansiracusa (New York:
Gaudia Music and Arts, 1996), 5:172–185.
Musical Offerings ⦁ 2020 ⦁ Volume 11 ⦁ Number 2 63
to G major, C major to A major, D major to F minor, and G minor to B-
flat minor. This liberal use of chromaticism obscures the tonality of the
music, making it significantly more difficult for singers to read and for
listeners to follow. Beyond this opening, however, “Solo e pensoso”
remains rather diatonic.

Example 1: Marenzio, “Solo e pensoso,” mm. 1–4.17

Luzzasco Luzzaschi was another madrigalist who was very involved in

the Mannerist movement. Luzzaschi is of particular interest because he
has a direct connection with Gesualdo. During his stay at the court of
Duke Alfonso II d’Este in Ferrara, Gesualdo wrote madrigals alongside
Luzzaschi, who was under the duke’s patronage. Luzzaschi had a lasting
impact on Gesualdo, as his third and fourth books of madrigals are highly
influenced by Luzzaschi’s style.18

In his madrigals, Luzzaschi expands even further on the techniques used

by Marenzio. “Itene, mie querele” from Luzzaschi’s sixth book of
madrigals19 is representative of his Mannerist style. In this madrigal,
Luzzaschi uses chromatic melodic lines and chromatic third harmonies,
but executes the techniques at a much more rapid pace than Marenzio.
Measures 20–23 represent an exaggerated use of chromatic movement
in individual voices, as they ascend by half-step in quick succession.

One important detail about Luzzaschi’s style pertains to his use of texture
throughout the madrigal. It starts homophonically with chromatic
movement but is quickly interrupted with a quick polyphonic and
diatonic episode (Example 2). A short segment of chromatic homophony
resumes and flows into a more diatonic polyphony. At m. 12, the
chromatic homophony continues until the rising chromatic polyphony of
m. 20. The piece ends in a homophonic texture with much slower and
less extreme harmonic movement. As described, the contrast between

17
Marenzio, Complete Five Voice Madrigals, 5:172–173.
18
Einstein, Italian Madrigal, 698–703.
19
Luzzasco Luzzaschi, Complete Unaccompanied Madrigals, ed. Anthony
Newcomb (Middleton, WI: A-R Editions, 2003), 1:92–94.
64 Cina ⦁ Gesualdo
homophonic and polyphonic textures is very distinct, and much of the
daring chromaticism is reserved for homophonic sections. Thus,
exaggerated chromaticism and contrasts in texture are both very common
components of the Mannerist style.

Example 2: Luzzaschi, “Itene, mie querele,” mm. 1–5.20

As the High Renaissance came to a climactic conclusion in the Mannerist

movement, some madrigalists began to develop a new Baroque style.
The most notable composer who pioneered these new techniques was
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643). Monteverdi emerged out of the
Mannerist style but began to develop his own style during the early
seventeenth century, eventually bringing to prominence the Baroque
style madrigal.

In Monteverdi’s fourth and fifth books of madrigals, printed in 1603 and

1605 respectively,21 one can see the progression from a Renaissance
style into the beginnings of the Baroque style. The most prevalent
element of the Baroque style that Monteverdi introduces is the clear
harmonic progression and bass-driven tonality. The first madrigal in
Monteverdi’s fourth book of madrigals is “Ah, dolente partita!”22 This
madrigal represents Monteverdi’s style before his deliberate
experimentation with the new style. Although the madrigal generally
remains in keys that are similar or related to the original A minor, it lacks
a tonally functional bass to direct the harmonic progression. The bass

20
Luzzaschi, Complete Unaccompanied Madrigals, 1:92.
21
Claudio Monteverdi, Madrigals: Books IV and V, ed. Gian Francesco
Malipiero, trans. Stanley Appelbaum (New York: Dover, 1986), vii.
22
Ibid., 3–8.
Musical Offerings ⦁ 2020 ⦁ Volume 11 ⦁ Number 2 65
part moves mostly by step during more sustained passages and
participates freely in imitation with the other four voices, rendering all
of the voices functionally equal. Therefore, “Ah, dolente partita!” is
more akin to the music of the late Renaissance and contains very few, if
any, distinctly Baroque characteristics.

“Cruda Amarilli, che col nome ancora” is one of Monteverdi’s most

famous madrigals. It appears at the very beginning of the fifth book,23
and the Baroque style begins to come into focus. The bass part is much
more disjointed than that of “Ah, dolente partita!” and acts more like a
harmonic foundation. In the opening phrase, the voices function with
typical tonal harmonic progression and voice leading, I–vi–I6–V–I
(Example 3). Although the madrigal varies from the overtly tonal
homophony of the first phrase, the harmonic progression retains the
predictability and theoretical logic of the tonal system. When compared
with the first madrigal of the fourth book, “Cruda Amarilli” sounds much
more stable and has clear direction. “Ah, dolente partita!” meanders
through key areas freely and lacks the harmonic pull of Baroque tonality.

Example 3: Monteverdi, “Cruda Amarilli,” mm. 1–4.24

In the last five madrigals of Monteverdi’s fifth book, he introduces an

independent part for basso continuo, a very distinct feature of Baroque
music. “Amor, se giusto sei”25 is an excellent example of the Baroque
style coming into eminence. The five voices are accompanied by basso
continuo throughout the piece and, with a few exceptions, the harmonic
progressions adhere to the standard tonal system. In the polyphonic and
homophonic textures, the bass voice simply doubles the notes of the
basso continuo. Another important element of “Amor, se giusto sei” is
the use of solo voices at the very beginning of the madrigal. It begins
with the solo canto voice accompanied by basso continuo, but the bass
voice takes over thirteen measures into the piece. The bass sings alone
with accompaniment for nine measures, and the solo tenor continues

23
Monteverdi, Madrigals, 107–110.
24
Ibid., 107.
25
Ibid., 187–195.
66 Cina ⦁ Gesualdo
until the whole ensemble finally enters at m. 36. These extended solo
passages foreshadow the rise of Baroque monody, or solo song with
accompaniment.

Having identified some common characteristics of the two stylistic

movements of late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Italy, one
can determine where Gesualdo’s madrigals fit within this transition and
how they can be distinguished from other madrigals of the time. In order
to make this distinction, two of Gesualdo’s madrigals from his sixth book
will be analyzed and compared to the madrigals by Monteverdi,
Luzzaschi, and Marenzio that have previously been addressed.

Carlo Gesualdo’s fame is primarily derived from his use of extreme

chromaticism. No. 17 from his sixth book of madrigals, “Moro, lasso, al
mio duolo,”26 has deservedly drawn much attention from scholars
because it represents Gesualdo’s most intensely chromatic style. “Moro,
lasso” begins with four of the five voices drifting from chord to chord in
slow homophony. It begins on a C-sharp major chord and slips down to
A minor, a chromatic third relationship. The root motion is then repeated
and transposed as the harmony moves from B major to G major. The G
major chord moves chromatically to an E dominant chord, which finally
settles on A minor (Example 4). In just this first phrase, three of the five
chord changes are chromatic mediant relationships, and the only one that
adheres to the functional harmony of the Baroque period is the
movement from E dominant to A minor.

Example 4: Gesualdo, “Moro, lasso, al mio duolo,” mm. 1–3.27

At m. 4 of “Moro, lasso,” the voices explode into lively, imitative

counterpoint, but unlike the opening, all voices remain strictly diatonic.
The chromatic homophony returns at m. 10, and the first stanza finishes
on a D major chord at m. 15. Gesualdo then repeats the stanza but

26
Carlo Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci: Libro sesto, ed. Hans-Jörg
Rechtsteiner (Offenbach am Main: Hans-Jörg Rechtsteiner, 2014), 83–86.
https://imslp.org/wiki/Madrigals,_Libro _6_(Gesualdo,_Carlo).
27
Ibid., 83.
Musical Offerings ⦁ 2020 ⦁ Volume 11 ⦁ Number 2 67
transposes the opening a perfect fourth higher, beginning on F-sharp
major. The repetition of the first stanza proceeds in a similar manner as
the first iteration, and the second stanza begins in the second half of m.
34. After a short, homophonic passage that is rather diatonic, Gesualdo
finishes his madrigal in a slow, contrapuntal texture with relatively mild
chromaticism. Despite the more conservative nature of the second
stanza, there remain key features to address. Although the minor
chromaticism in the final polyphonic section of “Moro, lasso” does not
contain the bold harmonic shifts of the madrigal’s opening, the
counterpoint does create, at certain points, some sonorities that are rather
foreign to the harmonic language of both the Mannerist and Baroque
movements. For example, there are two instances of an E augmented
triad in mm. 37 and 41.

“Mille volte il dì moro,” No. 7 in Gesualdo’s sixth book of madrigals,28

demonstrates one more characteristic of the Prince of Venosa’s
compositional style. Because this madrigal is mostly polyphonic, it does
not contain the drastic harmonic shifts of “Moro, lasso, al mio duolo.”
However, the counterpoint does lend itself to an extensive use of
prepared and unprepared dissonances. Gesualdo’s music contains a
plethora of suspensions and chord extensions, but there are also several
instances in which the lowest voice will sustain a note as the other voices
enter above on a dissonant triad. This technique first appears in m. 5 of
“Mille volte il dì moro.” After a short pause between the first two
phrases, the basso voice enters on an E. As the basso sustains the E, the
other four voices enter on an F major triad and all resolve to a B major
triad (Example 5).

Example 5: Gesualdo, “Mille volte il dì moro,” mm. 4–6.29

Extreme chromaticism, textural contrast, and the liberal use of

dissonance are all very important features of Gesualdo’s style. So, where
does he fit within the stylistic context in which he lived? In observing
the contrasts between his chromatic homophonic passages and his

28
Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, 31–35.
29
Ibid., 31.
68 Cina ⦁ Gesualdo
diatonic contrapuntal sections, it is clear that Gesualdo is drawing from
Luzzaschi’s tendency to write similar contrasts in texture. Gesualdo also
occasionally mixes chromaticism into his slower polyphonic passages,
but this technique is also displayed in Luzzaschi’s madrigal, “Itene, mie
querele,” in mm. 20–23.

Gesualdo’s chromaticism is also akin to the Mannerist style. Marenzio

and Luzzaschi made frequent use of the chromatic third progression and
freely shifted from one key area to the next. Monteverdi’s madrigals
remained primarily diatonic and were largely governed harmonically by
the emerging tonal system. Displaying a harmonic language that is
saturated with chromatic third relationships and tonal ambiguity,
Gesualdo’s style surely originates from the Mannerist movement. This
is not altogether surprising, as Gesualdo spent several years in Ferrara,
where Luzzaschi himself called home. Therefore, it is reasonable to
assert that Gesualdo’s style can be classified as Mannerism.

Despite the apparent resemblance of Gesualdo’s madrigals to the music

of the Mannerist movement, scholars have still singled out Gesualdo
from among the other composers of the Late Renaissance. This
distinction can be attributed to the fact that Gesualdo pushed Mannerist
idioms to their limits. In Marenzio’s madrigal “Solo e pensoso,” each
chromatic harmonic movement is followed by at least one tonal
progression. For example, the E-flat major chord that moves to G major
in measures six and seven is followed by a dominant to tonic progression
to C major before shifting chromatically to A major. Even Luzzaschi’s
most chromatic passages in “Itene, mie querele” adhere to the same rule.
Gesualdo’s harmonic progression in the opening of “Moro, lasso, al mio
duolo,” however, moves through three chromatic third progressions and
five total chords before finally establishing a tonal center in the third
measure when an E dominant chord cadences to A minor. The lack of
clear tonality for extended passages was a technique that very few, if not
Gesualdo only, dared to employ. Gesualdo also expanded the treatment
of dissonant harmonies, as displayed in “Mille volte il dì moro,” by
increasing the frequency of traditional dissonances, like suspensions and
extended triads, and by introducing new techniques as described above.

The late madrigals of Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa continue to

puzzle scholars to this day. The extreme chromaticism that represents his
style renders his music difficult to sing and to listen to, making his music
accessible exclusively to the learned individual. In contrast to Claudio
Monteverdi’s new Baroque style, with its strong sense of tonality and
Musical Offerings ⦁ 2020 ⦁ Volume 11 ⦁ Number 2 69
bass-driven harmony, Gesualdo’s virtuosic style belongs to the
Mannerist movement that began more than seventy years before
Gesualdo wrote his last book of madrigals. The evidence reveals that
Gesualdo’s sixth book of madrigals represents the grand culmination of
the Renaissance period.

Bibliography
Carter, Tim. Music in Late Renaissance and Early Baroque Italy.
London: B. T. Batsford, 1992.
Deutsch, Catherine. “Antico or Moderno? Reception of Gesualdo’s
Madrigals in the Early Seventeenth Century.” Journal of
Musicology 30, no. 1 (Winter 2013): 28–48. doi:10.1525/jm
.2013.30.1.28.
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Krappe, Roger H. Sessions, and Oliver Strunk. Vol. 2.
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———. The Gesualdo Hex: Music, Myth, and Memory. New York: W.
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